The Final Battle Of An Ageless Hero
by Cheep FIsh Baby
Summary: It's been twenty years since the defeat of Bowser. The world has laid dorment all this time. Now, Mario is going to have to face the worst trials of his life, to save the multiverse and his sanity.
1. Chapter 1

"_Thank you Mario, but our Princess is in another castle…"_

Mario woke up, drenched in sweat, gasping for air. It's all right, he told himself, just another nightmare. He reached over to his nightstand and grabbed the glass of water he'd left there, trying to remember what he had been dreaming about. Bowser was there, as usual, but he couldn't get any details in his mind.

Deciding it was better just not to go there at all, he lay back down and closed his eyes. It wasn't the first time he'd had nightmares. When you'd seen as many things as he'd seen bad dreams were unavoidable; but recently he'd been having them every nightly, and it was beginning to be a bother.

Finally, giving up on ever getting back to sleep, he got up out of bed. He glanced over at his beautiful bride, soundly sleeping, and smiled. She was his life. His being. His princess.

Creeping out of their bedroom, he walked down the long stone hallway and into kitchen. He grabbed some stuff out of the fridge deciding to make him a sandwich. His mind kept drifting off though, thinking about his dreams, and his life, and all the burdens he was buried down with.

And there were a lot of burdens. You see, Sir Mario Francesco Mildeu Weber Maro, or as he was more commonly known Super Mario Mario, led quite an unusual life. The first 25 or so years weren't that strange. Supposedly abandoned by his parents, he grew up in an Italian orphanage along with his younger brother Luigi. When they were still young an older couple called the Maros adopted them, and soon after immigrated to Brooklyn. There he grew up, started a plumbing company with his brother, and had a long-term girlfriend who he assumed would someday marry.

However, in one single night his entire life changed, and he would soon learn he was more interesting then he even knew. It started when a giant ape appeared in New York City, grabbed his girlfriend Pauline, and took her with him to the top of a construction site. Risking his life he climbed to the top, and was able to rescue her. Just as police had tranquilized the beast, a second smaller one appeared, tore open the cage and they both disappeared. Some time later while fixing some pipes with his brother, he came across an unusually large green pipe, which sucked them into it.

And so they appeared in the Mushroom Kingdom. The pipe was no ordinary pipe. It was a warp pipe, a complicated system of underground pipes that, when you enter one will transport instantaneously to the other end of the pipe. This pipe happened to be magically connected for extra-dimensional travel.

Although it is unbeknownst to most people of Earth, there exists a near-infinite amount of alternate dimensions, Dimensions meaning a completely different universe, that occupies that exact same space as one another and separated by the very fabric of time and space itself; In laymen's terms of course. All universes have the same amount of space and planets and land on the planets, but they are all strikingly different. While Earth is one of several mediocre world's, with no knowledge of real magic or outside dimensions, it is often overlooked by more advanced worlds. Nobody knows the exact number of these worlds, and it will probably never be known.

Mario and Luigi had been transported to one of the most mysterious dimensions. The exact planet they were on was Plit, this universe's equivalent to Earth. Plit had several powerful nations, the most powerful of all being the Mushroom Kingdom. Named for its abundance in wild mushrooms, it was a gorgeous peaceful country, headed by an ancient monarchy, and governed by the mushroom retainers. There were two main races here, Mushromes, a race of short, stocky, people who in look like a cross of humans and mushroom. The other less dominant race is Homo-Fungiens, looking mostly human into appearance but still having traces of fungi in them. (Let's not even get into how evolution happened in the world…). This is where Mario and Luigi appeared, in front of the chief retainer Toadsworth, Toad for short.

I'll spare you more explanation of what happened next. But Toad told them their true origin. They had been born into the Mushroom Kingdom, and within them lay large amounts of magical essence, which could only be put to use in their home dimension. The Mushroom Kingdom had been completely invaded by the Turtle Tribe, the Koopa army of the Dark World, led by their King Bowser Koopa. The Dark World was another dimension, eternally dark and filled with suffering; it is the home of some of the most evil monsters in existence. Bowser had kidnapped the nation's leader Princess Peach Toadstool, to utilize the magic within her to reconfigure the Mushroom Kingdom to his liking. As it was Toad's sworn duty to protect the royal family, he had summoned them here.

Shortly after the Mario Bros. were been born, a prophecy had been made by Kamek, a magikoopa advisor for King Morton Sr., Bowser's father, predicting those children would bring the downfall of the Turtle Tribe. They were stolen, but due to luck were rescued, and their parents decided it better to send them away were they could be safe until grown-up. Their parents' names were Jacopo and Lisa Weber.

And so, excepting their fate, they single-handedly defeated the Koopa Army, using the magical gift bestowed upon them at birth. For whenever they were in a dimension that held a particular supernatural element, they gained extraordinary powers: Super-strength, speed, agility, fighting skill, unusual reactions to certain types of mushrooms, plants, and other items, breathing underwater, and a strange connection to Yoshis. And using their powers they rescued the Princess. And she and Mario fell and love.

And in the years following he had to rescue her many more times, and go on countless adventures, Sarasaland, Dinosaur Land, United Colonies of Mushroomia, Isle Delfino, Luna Land, Jewlery Land, Nimbus Land, and many more in other dimensions too. The King of the Koopas had a nasty habit of faking his own death when he had clearly been beaten, or just getting away at the right time. The Mario Brothers have battled various evils, but none so powerful as Bowser, a skill mage as well as a near unbeatable fighter. And as Mario kept saving Princess Peach their love grew, and eventually, after the final defeat of Bowser almost 20 years ago, they finally got married.

Mario stopped his lamenting suddenly as he heard footsteps in the hallway. Toad entered, looking surprised.

"Mario? You sure are up early today?"

"What time is it," he asked.

"Five in the morning." Mario looked up suddenly to the clock. He could have sworn it was much earlier. "What has you up at this time?"

"I could ask the same, Toad."

"I'm always up at five. You however haven't been up before ten in your life."

"Just couldn't sleep I guess," Mario said trying to shift the subject of conversation. Toad looked worried however.

"Have you been having the dreams again?"

"Yeah. You know, if this keeps up, I'm going to start thinking Wart is back to his old tricks." Toad laughed softly, looking fondly toward Mario.

"I understand how hard it must be for you."

"It's not hard, really. It's just that I thought I had this whole Bowser thing behind me. Now the monster's memory is haunting me in my sleep."

"What do you see exactly anyway," Toad asked.

"That's the weird thing, I don't even really know, I think I'm just remembering all the times I dead, that I was beaten up; Tortured." He stopped, like he'd revealed too much, and was afraid what Toad would think. But he had to continue now. "I mean, people fight in one war and end up traumatized for life. How many wars have I fought? How battles have lost? I've died more times then I can count, and…"

"What?"

"I don't know. I was just rambling there I guess."

"I won't judge Mario. I don't care."

"Thanks Toad. You're always there for me. I would have died a long time ago if it weren't for you."

"No Mario, don't say that. You've saved my life many more times. You've saved this nation, and kept it safe. You're our savior."

How many times had he been called that? A savior. He didn't feel like a savior. He didn't battle with the safety of a nation in his heart, he battled for his life and the life of those he knew and cared for. But to the public he was a Mushroomian institution. He was Super Mario, the one with the red cap and blue overalls, who saved their princess and fought for genuineness, integrity, and good; An ageless hero.

And he was in a way. He'd been in Plit for 40 years. A lot of people had grown up already knowing him, and hero-worshipping him. He never asked for it, and he never did understand why people cared so much more for him than Luigi, who had been at his side for all the same amount of battles. And to the people, he seemed immortal. Because the same magic that dwelled inside him also affected his aging process, cutting it in half. So in the 40 years he'd been there, he had only really aged 20 years and while he was pushing 65 he hardly looked a day over 35 himself. It wasn't just him though, anybody who had large quantities of magical essence like him aged half the time we do. Luigi, of course, as well Peach as all members of the Royal Family have since they were born under the Power Star. Queen Daisy of Sarasaland, wife of Luigi, also aged the same way, as did Green Yoshi, the leader of the Yoshi Islands and personal friend. And, as he would come to learn, so did King Bowser.

But yet despite the fact of his seemingly perpetual youth, he couldn't stand getting older. He didn't care that he probably had another good 70 years to look forward to; he just couldn't help feeling like he was getting to damn old.

"Well, I guess there's no point in going back to sleep now," Mario said trying to push these thoughts out of his mind.

"For the best really. We've got a long day ahead of us."

"I know. I can't wait until they get here."


	2. Old Friends Return

It was a quarter past eight in the morning in the Toadstool Castle. The castle was filled with the hustle and bustle of dozens of servants getting preparations ready. Mario had pushed out thoughts of nightmares and memories, and had already changed into his best shirt and pants, when his wife, Princess Peach Toadstool, arose from bed still in her nightgown.

"Hey gorgeous," he said the minute he saw her, making an act out of grabbing her, dipping her forward and kissing her like some romantic movie.

"My, my," she giggled in a girlish manner.

"So, you finally thought about getting out of bed, huh?" he said teasingly.

"I'm surprised at you, Mario. Awake and dressed already at this hour?"

"What can I say, I'm anxious," he said grinning, and grabbed her again for another passionate kiss.

"Hi mommy, Hi daddy!"

Mario and Peach pulled out of their lip-lock, to see a young eight-year-old girl with jet-black pigtails and round blue eyes, who too was still in her pajamas.

"Good morning Nia," said Peach, bending down to hug her daughter. "I'm sorry baby, but we're really busy today. See if you can find one of the servants to give you breakfast." And Just as she had finished saying this, a mushrome woman in a maid uniform came in from outside. "Ah, good Miranid, could you please fix Nia some cereal? And see that she wears something nice for when the guests arrive."

"Yes, Your Royal Highness," said Miranid grabbing the young princess' hand and leading her to the dining room.

"Speaking of which," said Peach, "I better get changed too."

"Oh, there's plenty of time for that, they don't arrive until ten, remember?"

"Yeah…where's Toad by the way?"

"He's outside, overseeing everything. You know how much of a control freak he is, has to make sure the picnic tables go exactly the right place."

"So, are you excited?" she asked.

"Well of course I am. I mean; I haven't seen some of these people since Nia was born. And even Luigi I haven't seen for over six months. I don't think we've ever been apart this long in our entire lives," he chuckled.

Mario and Peach had been planning for months now a picnic; a reunion of sorts to bring together all their old friends, many of whom they'd lost contact with after the defeat of Bowser. Peach had organized everything after Mario's constant complaints that they never saw each other anymore.

"Well you sure don't look that excited," said Peach worryingly.

"It's not about the party, no. I really am excited to see them; I wonder what they've been doing with their lives. There's other stuff on my mind."

"Nightmares?"

"Yeah…" he said ashamedly, as though he was being weak to get so worked over some bad dreams. "Don't worry though, it's nothing."

"Mario, I have nightmares too sometimes, you know. You don't have to be afraid to tell me your feelings. I know you've been through some terrible things."

"No, you've been through much worst than me, all those times being held prisoner by the filth for months at a time…"

Neither of them said anything for a moment, and then Peach said, "Well, yeah, gotta go change…" and left the room.

It was nearing half past nine when Mario saw his first-born son, named Luigi after his brother, emerge from his room. He was tall and slender fifteen-year-old, taller then his father even, though he was always slouched down, eyes fixed on the floor. He had sandy blond hair, darker then his mother's, and the same piercingly blue eyes as the rest of the family. His hair today looked uncombed and tangled, and he was wearing an open shirt with a t-shirt underneath and an old pair of jeans.

"Mornin'" he said quickly, not even stopping to look at his father properly, as though it was something horrible he had to get out of the way.

"Good Morning, and could you put on something a little better…"

"I like this," he said, not in an angry tone, but rather just stating it like it was a fact, and kept walking.

When ten o'clock had finally rolled around, the Mario family sat outside in the palace's vast grounds, waiting for the first guests to arrive. Mario was putting on the finishing touches on the barbeque, while Miranid the maid was chatting it up with the cute new butler. Peach was wearing a pink dress, not her usual royal attire, but rather a simple garden dress. Nia, on the other hand, was wearing a full-length dress, with hoop skirt, puffy sleeves, and tiara to match, definitely not her usual attire. Little Luigi was still wearing the same clothes, though it did seem that Peach had at least run a comb through his hair.

Suddenly, a green pipe shot straight out of the solid grass, and a second later the first guest had emerged. It looked like a cross between a large lizard and a small horse. Green with scaly skin, the small creature had a friendly inviting face, two arms, and four legs, all of which seemed to be wearing running shoes. His back curved back like a horse and on its back was something similar to a saddle. It was a Yoshi, a species of dinosaurs. This particular one went by the name Green Yoshi, and though he looked a little older then the last time they had met, Mario knew him straight away.

"Yoshi!" he cried and ran up to him and grabbed him in a bear hug.

"Mario, it's great to see!" he said just as enthusiastically. "Can you believe it's been three years? Well, I've been really busy…"

The rest of the family, along with Toad, was now coming up to greet him. (Little Luigi slower then the rest.)

"Why hello there, Yoshi, it's a pleasure to have you back," said Peach.

"Same to you, Your Royal Majesty. Things going well Peach?" He turned and looked at the children. "Well, hey there Lil' Luigi! You're not so little anymore though are you, huh? You're going to be a strong man someday, just like your father here!" Yoshi patted him on the back, but he remained silent. "But here I am rambling on, you probably don't even remember me kiddo."

"Yeah," he said quietly. "You're Green Yoshi, you helped my dad protect Dinosaur Land from Bowser and you were elected leader of the Yoshi Islands three years ago."

"What a smart kid you have here!" he said. "And who's this cute little girl. I know; it must be Funginia!"

"Daaaad!" she wailed.

"She prefers to be called Nia," said Mario.

"Then Nia it is!" he said and gave her a hug.

"Nia, where are manners," said Peach strictly.

"Hello Mr. Yoshi, and welcome to our home," she said in a bored tone.

"You're just as smart as your big brother aren't you?" he smiled. "And I got a present here for you. Your brother too."

"Yaaay!" she screamed and jumped up and down in anticipation; Lil' Luigi's eyes widened a bit.

"Oh really Yoshi, you shouldn't have," said Peach.

"Don't worry about it, it's my pleasure!" he said and reached for two wrapped packages from under his saddle. Nia opened hers as fast as she could, and gasped when she saw a beautiful "Mushroom Beach Moldie" Doll. Lil' Luigi opened his and found a brown sweater, looking slightly disappointed.

"Uh…than…I mean thank you very much Mr. Yoshi, sir," said Lil' Luigi.

"Oooh…THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" screamed Nia and hugged Yoshi around the waist.

"Your very welcome, sweetie," he said and before she knew it tossed her on his back and started riding her through the grounds, Nia's shouts of joy heard near and far.

After Yoshi was through galloping with Nia, they settled down to eat, all the while more and more green pipes appearing bringing dozens of guests. A middle-aged Woods Fairy named Wanda came after Yoshi, she and Toad were good friends. A brigade of Pink Bomb-Ombs came next, the only female amongst them, Bombette came running up to Mario and kissed him on the cheek before even saying hello. Soon Yoshis every color of the rainbow came pouring in, as well as all seven Mushroom Retainers who arrived at the same time. 

"Kids, come over here!" Mario called when they had arrived. "Now, you've probably seen these gentlemen before in one of our various formal events. But since we're finally holding a party that doesn't require me to wear a tuxedo, I thought I'd introduce you to them properly. These are some great men here, who help keep this nation running. This is Yeasten, and this is Vekshun,"(Lil' Luigi giggled silently to himself) "this is Leto, Ratiol, Xan…err, xenon…um…"

"My name is Xanzuxaz, is that really so hard to remember!" he said bitterly.

"Yes, right of course, Xanzoozuxac…and these are Dunat and Jynni."

"How are you doing kids?" asked Jynni.

The guests were digging into their hamburgers and steaks are more and more people kept arriving. A whole bunch of young Latikus appeared out of one of the pipes, followed by their parents Lakilester and Lakilulu. Mario had just gotten up to meet his one time fighting companion when an Ape like creature, covered is gray fur and wrinkled skin, closely followed by a second one, this one younger looking.

"Diddy Kong!" said Mario turning his attention from the Latikus, and went up to shake the old Kong's hand. "How're you doing, Diddy?"

"I'm good, I'm good…" he coughed a few times. "It's very nice to see you. Seeing you here like this, so young looking. It's comforting knowing some thing's never change…" His voice was shaky, sounding weak and tired. Mario suddenly felt a surge of guilt. "You remember my son, Denny Kong?"

"Of course," answered Mario, shaking the younger Kong's hand as well. "It's great to see you too. It's remarkable how much you look like your father when he your age."

"Yes, it's nice to see you Mario, my father speaks highly of you."

It seemed that with the arrival of this particular guest everybody wanted to come and greet him. Nia, who had been only a baby the last she had seen Diddy and had no recollection of him, was particularly interested in learning about him.

"This is a very good friend of mine," he explained. "Oh, I remember when he was still a little kid, hardly older-looking then you…"

"But how can that be, he's so old!" she blurted out.

"Nia!" scolded Peach.

"It's alright, I know I'm old…" Diddy sighed.

"Well you see mushroom, Kong's age more quickly then humans do," said Mario. "Even more quickly if you compare them to your mom and I, since we're filled with magical essence. I remember the first Kong I'd ever met, Donkey Kong, well he was in the prime of his life when I first saw him. It wasn't even ten years later and he had become a cranky old-timer, and his son DK Jr. was grown up. DK was a good friend of yours, wasn't he?"

"Yes…yes he was like a father to me," said Diddy mournfully.

"DK was a good friend of mine too. He was great in helping us against the last War with Bowser. But, now he's gone…"

After Diddy and Denny had settled down, A Koopa Troopa arrived. His name was Trenston and was a racecar driver, but was better known as Koopa the Quick. He was followed by a family of goombas: Goombario, no longer the small child he had once known but now a full-grown adult, his sister Goombaria, and their parents, Goompapa and Goomama. A family of koopa troopas and paratroopas arrived together, and Mario recognized the father of both families as Kooper and Parakarry. A prominent-looking Boo called Bow arrived with her husband Polter followed closely by what looked to be a small spark called Watt. An unusually large family of Land Cheep Cheep came next; with only their mother Sushie as her husband had died of natural causes years earlier. After that came Twink, a star man friend of Peach (Lil' Luigi laughed even harder after hearing this name then after hearing Yeasten and Vekshun.) King Peasley of Beanbean Land was one of the last guests to arrive. Many other people came to that party, none of them Mario knew.

All but five of the invited guests had arrived. Two more arrived at a quarter past ten, the only ones not to arrive by warp pipe, and Mario could understand why they were late. The two guests looked like walking clouds, one male, and one female, both in their early twenties. The male was smiling and had the same kind of joyful, kind look Yoshi had to him. He was King Mallow of Nimbus Land. However he was sitting in a wheelchair, and was being pushed by his wife Hevenette.

"Mario!" he screamed before Mario had even gotten within ten feet of him.

"Hey, Mallow!" Mario replied putting on the biggest smile he could muster, the same way he had acted every time he saw Mallow the last twenty years. "Hello there Hev. So, how have things been?"

"Well, I can't complain," answered Mallow. Mario didn't understand this at all, in his opinion he had every right to complain. He couldn't grasp how Mallow could still be so genuinely happy living like this.

Like with Diddy Kong, everybody seemed interested in coming to great Mallow, which Mario know must have been pity. Nia didn't have to ask any questions about Mallow got to be this way, she already knew and had seen him as recently as her last birthday nine months ago. This was a relief to Mario who was in no mood of retelling that story. It was quite simple; Mallow had helped Mario in the taking down of Bowser, and in the process got into a fight with the Koopa Kids, King Bowser's own six sons and one daughter who he used as nothing more then weapons, which left him permanently paralyzed from the waist down. But Mario couldn't stand looking into Mallow's eyes, couldn't help but feel the guilt like he felt towards Diddy. Here he was, young looking, happy, in perfect health, and there they were. Diddy, old before his time, Mallow, doomed to never walk again, and worst of all Geno, who died at the hands of Bowser personally. He was supposed to be the legendary savior, yet he could not save these innocent bystanders. But he made sure Bowser paid for his evil, and he killed him just as he had killed Geno before Mario's eyes.

It was reaching eleven now, and three guests still had not come, and one of them was who Mario was looking forward to seeing more than all the rest. He was starting to get worried, though all the rest had lost themselves eating and conversing, for it was common for them to arrive to places late. Toad and Yoshi were having a long talk about the tariffs between their nations and Tenaria, a small island in the north. But, sure enough, forty-five minutes late, he saw three figures appearing out of a warp pipe in the front yard. Mario watched them approach, his brother Luigi, still with the same dark black hair and mustache, tall and thin as ever. Accompanying him were his wife, Queen Daisy of Sarasaland, wearing a dress similar to Peach's only this one was yellow, and had an almost comically large hat on decorated with flowers. In their wake was an eighteen-year-old boy, their only son called Mario. He was just as tall as either of his parents, but had a large muscular build rather then the thin build possessed by his father. His hair was brown like his mothers, though it was spiked-up and had red highlights. He wore an attire of all black, and made Lil' Luigi's appearance look like that of a King's. His facial features were what gave him away to be related to the Mario Brothers straightaway, but his eyes were dark brown, cold and appeared to be hate filled, so very different from the eyes of his family. The Mario Family was waiting at the gate to welcome their final guests, and so couldn't hear that they were arguing amongst themselves.

"Great!" said Luigi, "Just great! We're an hour late! An hour late! Are you happy now! Do you enjoy making me look embarrassed?"

"Embarrassed?" Daisy repeated laughing to herself. "Like you care about being embarrassed or you wouldn't have come out in public dressed like that! I'm embarrassed to be seen with you!"

"Well at least I'm not so vain that I have to spend hours preparing everywhere I go just for the slightest chance that I may look attractive!"

"Oh, look who's talking, as though you would ever even presentable, no matter how many hours you spent preparing yourself. You'd think that the husband of the queen would at the very least try…"

"Hey!" said Mario Jr. suddenly, "So you never answered me as to whether or not I can take out the car later."

"I already told you, you are going to stay here the whole day!" snapped Daisy.

"And I already told you that I'm only going to show up here to be polite, maybe get a bit to eat, and then I'm outta here!"

"You see, he gets this from you!" said Daisy to Luigi.

"Oh, shut up…" he mumbled for they had already reached the front gate, seeing the smiling faces of the Mario Family. Luigi and Daisy smiled back, Mario Jr. stood there glaring at them, no thought to politeness. The two brothers grabbed each other and patting the others back, saying how much they had wanted to see the other.

"It's been to long, man," said Mario. "Not since last Christmas."

"It's a good thing we convinced our wives to celebrate Christmas this year though…" said Luigi, looking up at Mario like a child staring at a god.

Meanwhile, Peach and Daisy, who besides sisters-in-law were also first cousins, were hugging and asking each other about every little detail of what had happened during the time they had last met.

"Oh, and Little Luigi," said Daisy, taking hold of him and kissing him on the cheek as he squirmed. "Oh, you're getting so big!"

"H-hi…" he mumbled.

"Well, if it isn't my namesake," said Mario. "How is my nephew/cousin," He took out his hand and shook it, Mario Jr. remained silent. It wasn't the same nervous silence Little Luigi had on him; rather it was like he was staring at them defiantly. "I hear from your father you were top in your class this year?"

"Yeah," he answered nonchalantly.

They headed out to the picnic tables. Peach was sensing the detestation Mario Jr. was giving off, so she said,

"Luigi, how about you take Mario up to your room?"

"Sure!" said Lil Luigi excitedly.

"Whatever," said Mario Jr., and turned around to follow Luigi into the castle.


End file.
